IHBD, Chennai

COMPETENCY MAPPING

Objective:

To link Attitude, Skill and Knowledge at the Expected Competency Level and the
Present Competency Level of ASK.

Instead of evaluating ASK individually, the aim under the Competency mapping is to
measure the blend of ASK in the form of competency. If a Star Performer performs or
excels others, then you will have to take his competency level as a role model. Select the
attributes accordingly under the headings of Attitude, Skill and Knowledge.

If you take ASK means, it is totally linked with Job only. Job demands what level of
Knowledge, what are all the Skills and What are all Attitudinal Skills required. It is not
the general Qualification, macro level Skills and Attitude. In measuring the Competency,
you are actually measuring the micro level competent levels of an individual. For
example, in one Manager’s Communication Competency, “He may call his colleagues,
Yes Sir without calling by name,” That communication (micro) may bring positive
results to him. Somebody’s personal cleanliness and hygiene practices may bring good
results. Hence when you want to measure the competency level, you may have to split the
job description in to minute details of demand which leads to productivity.

Hence when you pool the levels of ASK, in a star performer, you will have to see which
competency under ASK takes the lead, may his knowledge or skill or sometimes his
Attitude. I know one person who does not have required levels of Knowledge and Skill,
but, still he brings results to the organisation, because of his Attitude which is Positive
and constructive. Attitude is something like a beautiful wrapper which invites to taste the
knowledge and skill. Quantification of Knowledge and Skills is easy but it is difficult to
quantify the Attitude. It can be done only by HR Managers who are really professional
and interested. He must know the techniques of linking Attitude with the Performance by
interpreting with available data. They can derive their own formula to measure the
techniques of Attitudinal Skills. Generally feelings cannot be quantified on the surface.
Attitude is a Feeling. But the experts know the techniques of measuring the feeling.
Hence for measuring the Attitude, take the Star Performer’s Attitudinal skills as a Bench
Mark or Standard. Discuss with him and note down his reasons for good performance.
Jot down in the graph about his ASK level. Under Attitude, what are all the Skills he
applies to what amount. When you plan for ASK level with business strategy, you can
easily plan Knowledge and Skill levels, but for Attitude, you can say the macro level
behaviours. Competency comes out of micro level attitudinal approaches only. You
cannot spell out the micro level skills unless it is experimented and experienced. Hence
for mapping Attitude level, it is suggested that you can take the attributes experienced by
Star Performers instead of imagining and mapping. ……2
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To map the Skill Level, again you can take the lead of Star Performer. Among the
different skills required for job performance, find out the different densities the star
performer applies. Also is the case of Knowledge. Split Knowledge in to various small
ingredients such as:

Up-dating job knowledge by

- Sharing Communication
- Attending seminars/discussions/Training
- Reading Manuals/job-related Magazines/write-ups
- Attaining Educational Qualifications
- Voluntary learning from all levels irrespective of the status
- Self learning by observation/demonstration
- Experience
- Knowledge needs are satisfied

Hence if you want to prepare comp. mapping of any individual, write down all attributes
from micro level onwards under Attitude, Skills and Knowledge separately and pool by
quantifying each density level. It can be compared with Competency Mapping of Star
Performer or an ideal Competency Mapping prepared for this purpose. If you find the
gap in competency mapping of the ideal one or Star Performer and the employee
concerned, Management is to plan for filling the gap in the comp. Level.

The success of implementation of Competency Mapping depends on the efficiency and

involvement of HR Managers. First of all they must know what is Competency Mapping
and how to draw it. It is totally a work of pooling the density levels of ASK and
compare it with Star Performer’s ASK level. It is very important to study the smallest
ingredients that are applied and practised by the Star Performer under Attitude, Skill and
Knowledge.

If HR Professionals implement the Comp Mapping at all levels from sweeper to MD,
definitely Quality will improve in both Products and Service. Competency Measurement
must be done as per Job demands. Somebody performed Excellent. He achieved the
Results. He is having good Relations with employees and also his Customers. Then HR
must start measuring his techniques on ASK separately and then pool it together.

Comp Mapping is an innovative study and work. It is not a ritual but if HR involves,
definitely they will draw competency mapping for all levels. HR managers who has the
qualities of Philosophical Approach, Change Agent, Facilitator, Creative Person – he
only can do best in Competency Mapping, otherwise, do not implement Comp Mapping
in your organisation for the sake of implementation or ornamental or hi-fi purpose. Do
something concrete and result-oriented which is helpful to the Management on
Competency Mapping, otherwise, let you know open the topic on Competency Mapping
for something you are doing wonders.